Nanofibrillated cellulose reinforced acetylated arabinoxylan films

In this study, acetylated rye arabinoxylan (AcAX) films were reinforced with nanofibrillated cellulose from spruce (NFC) ranging from 1 to 10 wt% of the total composition. Free-standing composite films were casted without the use of any plasticizers. The homogeneous dispersion of NFC in the films was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy. The ultimate strength and the Young’s modulus determined by tensile tests increased from 65 MPa and 2190 MPa for neat AcAX films to 93 MPa and 3360 MPa for the 10% composite films, respectively. The elongation to break of the 10% NFC composite film was a remarkable 10.5%. The moisture absorbed was still less than 8 wt% for the films with 10% NFC content at 97% relative humidity at room temperature, which is low for hemicellulose-based films. The addition of NFC decreased the water permeability of the films at low NFC contents, which was studied in diffusion cells using radioactive labeled water. Thus NFC can be used in an unmodified form as reinforcement in AcAX films to prepare films or coatings that are more water and humidity resistant than neat hemicellulose-based films.